Goucher Equestrian Finished Third At Winter Classic II

Jan 26, 2019

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Irene Elise Powlick (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) won the open flat section to help the Goucher College equestrian team to a third-place finish at the Winter Classic II Tournament of Champions hosted by Mary Washington on January 26. The Tournament of Champions is an invite-only, highly competitive series, for 16 regional and reserve regional champion teams.

Powlick won the open flat, which is a class for the most advanced riders that does not include jumping. She also finished third in open fences and earned 10th high collegiate medal.

First year Nadia Langer (Chevy Chase, Md./Washington Waldorf) placed second in novice flat while fellow first year Emily Axel (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport Central) placed third in intermediate fences and earned a fourth-place in the low collegiate medal.

Savannah College Art and Design won the event and Bridgewater College of Virginia was the reserve champion while Goucher, Ohio University, Savannah Art and Design B Team, Mount Holyoke College, Randolph College and Sweet Briar finished in the Top-8 of a 16-team field.

IHSA competition is broken up into five categories based on experience. The Open division has the most experienced rider, while intermediate is No. 2, novice is No. 3, walk trot canter is No. 4 and Walk trot is No. 5. The top three categories include two sub-sections; the "flat" which is a pattern that does not include jumping, and a fences section. In addition, when teams are on the road, like the Gophers were at Mary Washington, they are using the horses at the home stable. The riders are judged on their ability to adapt, communicate, and perform with an unfamiliar horse.

Goucher will return to the regular IHSA season, where they are leading Zone IV Region I by 40 points, on February 24 for the George Washington/ George Mason IHSA Show at Stonegate Stables in Aldie, Va.